Monday, April 25, 2016

Let's go to the Beach!

Hello everybody!!
Soo.... The biggest news of this last week is that we got transfer news!! After 7 months here in my wonderful Badajoz, the Lord has called me to serve in a new area. And yup, you guessed it, it's right near the beach. I have been transferred to serve in Alicante! For those of you not up on your Spanish geography(; Alicante is the complete opposite side of the country from where I am now. And yes, it is on the beach! Also, I have been called to be a SHE. Most missions they have Sister Training Leaders, but here in our mission we lovingly call them SHEs - Super Hermana Entrenadoras.
To be completely honest, I have had a lot of mixed feelings about these new changes. When we relieved the call from President Andersen Saturday morning, I just cried and cried and I was really sad. Y'all have probably noticed... I LOVE BADAJOZ. The people here are literally my family and I have learned and changed and grown and experienced so much here I don't know how I will leave it all behind.
However, as I was talking to some members here, one of them reminded me that change is necessary. That it's impossible for me to stay here for my whole mission because there are more people for me to meet and to serve and Badajoz, just like the CCM or any other phase of my life, is really just a step to help me progress and become more like my Savior Jesus Christ.
As I have pondered and prayed more with this mindset, I know that my good friend Oscar was exactly right. My time here in Badajoz has been amazing! But there are more responsibilities and more challenges and trials and people awaiting me. I truly have felt the confirmation that this change comes from the Lord and how grateful I am to be serving under a mission president who is worthy and in tune to receive this guidance from the Lord. I really am excited for this opportunity to go to Alicante and serve the people there.
Apart from transfers, we had a really good week. We started teaching someone new and helped an investigator fix a baptismal date and well, I just really love missionary work. The work is moving forward here in Badajoz and all over the world! I'm so grateful for these months that I have to be a missionary - it really is short but it is amazing. I love you all, have a wonderful week and talk at ya next week!
XOXO Hermana Hauber

Monday, April 18, 2016

Just a few thoughts

Hi everybody!
I don't have much to say this week - just that we are happy and healthy and working hard.
I do want to tell you about something I have been thinking about this last week though... This might be kind of obvious but, the gospel changes people. I think sometimes we find ourselves out on the street thinking, "I'm not going to contact that person because surely they are old and too Catholic to change" or "He drinks way too much to be interested in our message" or we need to drop Him because he is never going to change (now there is a time and a place for everything and I realize that)... But the gospel literally changes people. It changes their hearts and their spirits and I know it can change them and help every single one of them in their lives and in their families, regardless of what they might be going through.
Of course as missionaries, we need to remember that and really view others as Christ does. And have faith that there are people ready to accept this message. However, this applies one very aspect of life! We should always be striving to have the love for others that Christ has for them and that He has for us. Can you imagine the world we would live in if we each just loved a little more?? So that's my invitation to y'all today. Find someone to just love a little better this week.
Also, we have been sharing the talk by President Monson "Choices" with a lot of people this week. It's only like 4 minutes so if you don't remember it, go watch it! But how important it is that we remember our goal and that we realize that every decision we make matters because it either helps us get there or it doesn't. Folks, our goal is the celestial kingdom and when we make mistakes - because all of us will - we have the beautiful gift of the atonement to help us get back on track.
Alright, those are my ramblings this week. I love the Lord, I love this gospel and I testify that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet here to guide us on the earth today. I love this opportunity to serve others and I'm so grateful for my Savior.
Have a wonderful week y'all!!
XOXO Hermana Hauber

Happy 8 months today! 3 for 1 euro and they were delicious!


The sweet family from Mexico who has been here for 3 months but
are going home next week!

I tried ceviche and loved it!

Food truck round up!


We got caught in the rain... without umbrellas

Intercambios with the SHEs and sweet Hermana Andersen!

Pres, Cecelia y Samuel #selfiestickforthewin

Monday, April 11, 2016

I love Spain

Hi y'all!!
This has been a good week. A great week. Imma just share a couple things real quick.
First of all, we had zone meeting! And one of our zone leaders, Elder Wagner, gave an awesome taller and I've been thinking about it a lot. First of all, we read in Luke 14:28-31. Please go look it up in your bible and read it.... Okay, so it is talking about building a tower right? And how when you build a tower, first you want it. You have the desire. That's easy enough - check. Then you have to sit down (easy) and calculate the cost (a little less easy, but still manageable) - check. But then, you actually have to finish it! We have to build the tower, starting at the foundation, and actually finish it to make it useful and valuable like we intended it to be, right? Well such is the mission and really, such is life. As missionaries, we have three hours on one day a week to do weekly planning. This is
where we plan how we are going to help the people we are teaching, what we are going to teach, how we are going to help the branch and where or how we can find new people. THREE HOURS to plan. And then, we have a full week to act, but sometimes we just let the planning go out the window. Maybe we get distracted by other things, we forget the goals we have set or we don't accomplish all that we planned. Now people have their free agency, but sometimes we just aren't finishing our tower.
I loved this! And it applies to all y'all too, whether or not you are in the mission! It doesn't make sense to spend so much time planning or making goals or preparing ourselves for something if we never even finish it or accomplish that which we have set out to do. So.... My invitation for y'all is to finish building your towers. Don't be the man that gets mocked because you got distracted or lazy or lost interest. Ask the Lord for help and then get to work. (:
Alright, the next cool thing from this week is that we had an awesome first lesson with a new investigator. My sweet trainee and I of course practiced during comp study and then proceeded to teach this woman. The lesson went really well, she had a lot of interest, and then we were just finishing up when my companion asked her a simple question. I kind of wondered why she did it, because it was kind of random, but Silvia just opened up. She told us more about her situation, her struggles and we really came to know her better and it was amazing! It was so cool to see my companion follow the promptings she received from the Spirit and in acting on it, see the blessings from the Lord. It was so cool. This truly is the Lord's work and I know he is with us in every single aspect and in every moment.
Okay, one last thing. So lots of you already know or probably have at least noticed that I have been in the same area for my whole mission! Just like 6ish months since I left the CCM, but that's a fair amount. And sometimes I just worry. I get down on myself and think, man, I have been here for 6 months and what I have I done to help these people? And well, we had interviews with President Andersen this week and as I expressed to him my feelings and what was worrying me, he told me this "Hermana, let the Lord measure your work." We had a good talk about how this is the Lord's work. I'm not here for me, I'm here for him and truly He is the only that can know my true effort and value here as a missionary. It doesn't depend on baptisms or how well I speak the language or numbers or what the members say or anything. The Lord knows and that's all that matters. I am so grateful for President and Hermana Andersen - they really are the greatest.
Also, just a little thing for you all to know is that I love Spain. I love the people and the members and the food and it's beautiful and also I LOVE SPANISH. This is a wonderful place and if I didn't also love America, I might just live here some day.
Bueno, pues now that I have gone on and on... I just want to leave you all with my testimony that this gospel is true! This work is about bringing others to Christ and helping others receive the gift of eternal life. Our Savior is Jesus Christ and He lives and loves everyone of us. I know it, I know it, I know it with every fiber of my being.
I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!
Love from your favorite almost-spaniard,
Hermana Hauber 😘

My selfie game isn't all that great, but we had a barbecue!

Spanish salad and Brazilian cheese bread #imlearning


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Happy Conference Weekend :)

(no group email this week- here are is a portion of the family email!)

We were able to watch three sessions of conference and will watch the fourth sometime this week. I loved it!M I loved how much they talked about the authority of the priesthood keys and families and following the guidance of the spirit. So much wonderful stuff.
I'm sorry I've been lame with writing back! Last week we got cut short time. But things here are good. I love getting to train, it is a huge blessing. I have been sick this week but we are still working hard to find and teach and serve and do anything we can!
I hope y'all have a wonderful week!
Xoxo Hermana Hauber

The sign says Calle Badajoz but you can't see it... haha

Angelica, a menos activo who moved to France


Bye Elder Triana, hello Elder Castillo!

April 4th is the new July 4th and we didn't even plan it haha

Perritos!